


Enigma

by ShadowtheStoryteller



Series: Adventures of An Idiot (And the Idiot is Me) [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: 61003 words later and i still dont know what im doing, BUT IM HAVIN FUN, Clone Wars, Clones, F/M, Has this reached the normal level of self insert x character cringe yet, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, SPLAT - Freeform, Self Insert, here there be nonsense, honestly its more humor than anything, hunter has it bad, hunters head is fun to crawl around in, i only live once and im spending it by writing Bad Batch x self fanfic, if not i must try harder, the inner mechanisms of my mind are an enigma, very heavily focused on Sergeant Shaggy McGee because I can
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:08:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25294441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowtheStoryteller/pseuds/ShadowtheStoryteller
Summary: Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the mission's mountain guide is an Enigma to the Bad Batch Sergeant.
Relationships: Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Adventures of An Idiot (And the Idiot is Me) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712326
Comments: 16
Kudos: 56





	1. Hunting for Answers

**Author's Note:**

> Why yes, the summary is a play on words! Sorta.
> 
> Sorry y'all, this aint the next big story, just a small little in-between fic set after the end of "Off to a Great Start" and before the start of "Over the River and Through the Woods" :D  
> To new readers, you'll have to read "Off to a Great Start" for this to make a lick of sense. 
> 
> Something started from an abandoned segment of chapter... 12? It became it's own thing.  
> Well, here ya go!
> 
> Yes, there is a reference to SpongeBob in the tags :D
> 
> Enjoy a confused Hunter!  
> Warning, this chapter is basically one of those self insert tropes of a canon character falling for an self insert character. I mean it says that in the tags but there's gonna be that reader that doesn't read. 
> 
> Onward!

_“That a compliment?”_

_“I haven’t decided yet.”_

A harmless conversation then, a plaguing issue on his mind now. 

_How_? How had this woman merged so quickly to his team? Sure, they were favorites of hers, but they’d met people who’d heard of them before. Those people had no desire to interact with them, however. They preferred to admire or judge them from afar, not wanting to get close enough to become associated with them. Never get to know them. Know them not as soldiers, but as men. People. Humans. 

But this woman, this strange, unordinary woman, planted herself right in the middle of them and did so happily. Both physically when they’d sat and watched the horror games, but also mentally. Especially with Tech. He and Shadow had instantly hit it off, Tech no doubt grateful to find someone who would actually listen to his ramblings and not let them go in one ear and out the other. Hunter could still hear them softly talking through the wall, chattering something about evolution. 

He’d met many interesting people on their various missions, but the kid certainly ranked among the highest. It was rare for people to outright defy him, but rarer still was it for someone to defy them but respect them at the same time. It was either defiant and rude or scared and respectful. 

Respect. The kid certainly earned his. She’d evaded them for a decent stretch of time at the start, only surrendering because she _wanted_ to. Hunter had known people, targets, to say they were surrendering only because they wanted to in an attempt to look braver than they were, but with Shadow... he saw now that she truly meant it. If she had wanted to evade them longer, they may still be after her. Especially had she used her full abilities.

He’d gotten a feeling she was more dangerous than he originally thought when she revealed her species and the fact she could wield an element. Hells, he knew she was dangerous when she first went head to head with all of them but Wrecker. But he hadn’t expected the actual ground to shake beneath him when she’d gone after James. Nor did he expect her primary Feral Form, as she called it, to be so big. She didn’t have the height that the grey male did, but she possessed a far stronger build. Not to mention one swish of her tail had sent him flying off his feet and into the couch. That thing was pure muscle beneath the soft, colorful fluff. 

Then there was her... weapon collection. Not as expansive as some, but still impressive. That, combined with her extensive hand to hand combat skills plus elemental powers, survival skills, animal speak, shapeshifting...

Were she part of the GAR, Hunter would have had half a mind to request her to be transferred to their squadron. She’d fit right in with her danger level plus disdain for authority and love of freedom. Additionally, if her tales of the adventures she had with sailors were true, she was no stranger to dealing with dangerous men. Her lightsabers had been purple, too. The color of someone who used both the Light and Dark side of the Force, their fighting style very aggressive. 

That one Jedi, Mace Windu, had a lightsaber like that. But he was a peaceful Jedi, a negotiator who preferred words over actions. 

Shadow was... not. 

He thought once more about how she had attacked James. How that dangerous fury erupted into a violent fight in which she not only wounded him, but did so in a deliberate manner that would ensure he never forgot why he had that injury. 

She’d not only gotten angry. Hunter instantly recognized that secondary emotion: protectiveness. 

For all her banter, snark, “grump” as Wrecker called it... she cared about them. Saw them as men. Not rejects, lab rats, or defects. _Men_. 

It was... heartwarming. To have someone look past all of that. Treat them not as mindless drones, but individuals. 

Not only that, but there was that strange way in which she could alter her personality to fit with each of them in turn and yet... it didn’t feel like she was faking it. She genuinely could merge with them. Many couldn’t do that if they tried, but Shadow switched between them effortlessly. 

He couldn’t help but think back to when he found her wrestling with Wrecker and Tech in her room. Those two she instantly got along with, more so than him or certainly Crosshair. He expected her to like Tech. Afterall, most people liked him best of the force. But Wrecker was a little surprising. Many people found him too overwhelming. Too brash. Too loud. But not Shadow. No, she gladly wrestled with him, joked with him, and apparently shared his love for explosions. 

Both the demolition expert and engineer already approved of her, and approved greatly. Once the mission was over, it would not be easy for them to say goodbye.

Or... or maybe... 

No, that was ridiculous. They couldn’t _recruit_ her to their squad. She was no clone, no Jedi, no medic, no intelligence officer. She wasn’t even in the GAR, kriff’s sake.

Yet... perhaps all the more reason to get her on their team. She wouldn’t be forced to obey the orders of the higher ups. She wouldn’t be bound by rules and regulations. She wouldn’t have that mindset most Nat-Born Officers had. That prejudice. That discriminatory attitude. That hypocritical outlook of peace while leading men to their death. 

No, impossible. How would they even get her as a member? Would she even want to stay? Was he thinking way too much in this? 

“You have a thorn in your side?” Crosshair growled, kicking him, “Stop tossin’ and turnin’.” They opted to share the large bed while Wrecker took the couch. The lean sniper currently laid with his back to Hunter, but the sergeant knew that by morning Crosshair would be curled around him. He always got cuddly when the team was alone, touch starved from acting aloof and cold all day. But right now, the man was trying to sleep and Hunter wasn’t helping.

“Sorry,” Hunter muttered, trying to get comfortable. It wasn’t too hard; the bed was a major improvement over his bunk on the ship even if he did have to share it with his rather abrasive brother. But his mind just wouldn’t let him rest, swirling his thoughts into a mass of confusion and even irritation. 

A sigh, which could easily be mistaken as a snarl by most people, came from the sniper. “It’s the brat, isn’t it?” 

“I can’t figure her out,” Hunter admitted with a frustrated groan, rolling onto his back and laying a hand over his eyes as the other rested by his side atop the fluffy covers. It should have been easy, after all he prided himself on figuring people out. Yet the moment he thought he had her figured, she’d do something random and leave him back at square one. She was unpredictable, yet that was part of the reason he liked her. 

_She’s an enigma. No other way to put it._

“What’s to figure?”

“Don’t give me that, she’s on your mind too,” Hunter snorted, smacking Crosshair in the shoulder. The look of approval on the thin clone’s face as Shadow fought James remained in his mind, so minute and quickly gone but nevertheless there. That fact alone was another reason on the list to get Shadow to join them. Crosshair hated everyone. He had hated her at first, but already Hunter could tell his jabs were becoming less malicious and more... teasing. His words were still abrasive as sandpaper and to an outsider corrosive as acid, but Hunter knew his younger brother. He liked Shadow whether he wanted to admit it or not. 

The sniper scoffed. “No, she isn’t.” 

Hunter rolled his eyes. Did Crosshair really think he couldn’t hear the defensive note in his voice? _I’ve known you since you were twelve, Crosshair. That’s five years I’ve had to figure you out. I know you still have that stuffed shark that Togruta boy gave you after you fell into the tank at that aquarium. You can act tough but I know you’re soft._ “Whatever you say, Cross.” He stared up at the ceiling, studying the patterns on the light fixture, before faint laughter came through the wall. Frowning, he sat up. 

“Tell those two to go to sleep,” Crosshair grumbled, pulling the covers over his head. “Can’t get any shut eye with her and Four Eyes cacklin’.”

Shifting out of bed, Hunter trudged down the small hallway and to their living room. Wrecker laid sprawled over the pullout couch bed, covers in an absolute mess. Faint snores came from him as he gripped a spare pillow tightly, hugging it close to his body. He probably couldn’t wait to get on the trail where he could pull them in to sleep in a pile. 

_How would Shadow take that?_ The moment he thought about it, Hunter cursed himself. _What are you thinking, Hunter?_

Shaking his head, Hunter went to the door separating their rooms and opened it slowly. He blinked as the light spilled over him, squinting against it until his eyes adjusted. 

Two pairs of eyes turned his way as he stepped into the room, one soft brown and the other sharp blue. The latter pair widened slightly, and it was then Hunter realized he hadn’t put his upper blacks back on. His bare torso was on display for her to see. With Tech it was no issue, but he would have preferred to put a bit more thought into the first time Shadow saw him shirtless. Damn it, why hadn’t he thought about that before getting up? 

But her gaze was oddly… not lustful. No, just appreciative.

_Right, she’s… what was the word? Grey-sexual? But she likes muscles, or at least that’s what she said._

Hunter couldn’t get over how different she looked in lighter, colorful clothes. She looked more relaxed, more carefree. Kinder. Happier. 

Softer.

“Sarge? You good, my guy?” she asked, head tilting to the side as one brow quirked up.

 _What are you doing? Say something,_ di’kut _! Stop staring!_ “Er, can you two lower the volume?” he asked, looking over the pair. Both sat on the pullout couch with their legs crossed as they faced each other, Tech’s hands frozen mid gesture.

Tech blinked at him, brows furrowing. “We weren’t laughing that loud, Sarge,” he protested.

Shadow rubbed the back of her neck. “Eh, that’s probably my fault. In karate I learned to project my voice for teachin’. It kinda... stuck. Not to mention my voice is a bit rough and loud anyways. My vocal cords are funky.” 

_I like your voice_. He caught the compliment on the tip of his tongue. But her voice was as intriguing as her personality. Oddly deep and rough for a woman, he could feel it resonating within his chest. Until she got excited, however, then it would rise in pitch. Her accent could get thicker as well, yet he found it to be slightly... amusing. Some part of him said he was looking for a different word, that also started with _A_ , but he pushed it down.

“Yeah, well, it’s keeping Crosshair up.”

“Certainly wouldn’t want to interfere with that man’s beauty sleep. He needs all he can get,” she snickered, drawing a small laugh from Tech.

“Careful, kid. He might get the idea you’re flirting with him,” Hunter joked, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway. He noticed her eyes drift over his arms for a moment before meeting his gaze again.

“Ha. The last person I’d flirt with is someone who vaguely reminds me of a rabid raccoon.”

“What’s a raccoon?” Tech asked, yanking Hunter out of his thoughts as he wondered who she _would_ flirt with.

“Oh, small furry scavenger about yea big,” Shadow explained, holding her hands apart to show the size. “Call ‘em Good For Nothin’s, they basically eat anything in sight and are known for their rather disagreeable nature. And habit of attackin’ anything that moves like that rabid little trash gremlins they are.” She paused. “Although, guess I can’t say anything about bein’ rabid. I could have rabies right now and wouldn’t even know.”

Hunter stared at her with unconcealed surprise, immediately tensing. _Rabies_?! How could she _not_ know she had that horrible disease? It was a deadly affliction that ended the life of nearly any species it came across!

Tech obviously thought the same, yet he scooted closer to the potentially rabid woman. “That viral disease can be fatal within the first few hours! Why would you not…” A lightbulb went off in his head. “I see! Alpharans are carriers! It doesn’t affect you, but you can transmit the disease to others.”

That did not help ease Hunter’s anxiety in the least.

“ _Alphians_ ,” Shadow corrected the excited engineer with a laugh. “And yep. I’m not affected by that. Of course, it causes humans on Kelusia to view us even more like animals.”

“Oh, Alphians and humans do not get along on your planet?” Tech inquired.

“Not really. Humans lost their spot as top dog to us. There’s a lot goin’ on there, but I’ll spare y’all the history lesson for tonight.”

“Might you tell us on the trail? I would be very interested to learn more about your species!” Tech asked, and Hunter knew the engineer well enough to pick up on the slight pleading tone in his voice. He just hoped Shadow didn’t pick up on it.

The sergeant may have begun to view this woman as an ally or even, tentatively of course, a friend, but they still needed to keep up an image. Begging her for her species information was _not_ the way to go about it. He nearly died inside when Wrecker had gone last night and asked, of all things, if she could _purr_. Sure, Hunter was curious, but he understood that there were times to keep that curiosity to himself.

“Don’t see why not,” she shrugged. Her bright gaze turned back to him. “Don’t worry, Hunter. I can’t flirt to save my life so I don’t even try.”

Did she not notice the way Tech had started to look at her? Or Wrecker had begun to look at her? What had she said? She was only half blind? But he needed to get out of here before that warm feeling in his chest grew to an unignorable level and he was forced to confront just what he thought of the Alphian. “Right. Well... goodnight,” he said abruptly, turning away and shutting the door. 

“Goodnight?” came her slightly confused voice through the door. 

Muttering to himself, he stormed back into the bedroom and flopped angrily down on the bed, shoving his face into the pillows. 

“Smooth,” Crosshair muttered, lightly kicking him. 

“Shut up, _shabuir_ ,” Hunter growled.

“I can see it now,” Crosshair snickered. “She’ll be fallin’ in love with you _any_ moment now.”

Hunter indignantly sat up, glaring at his brother. “I do _not_ have a crush on her,” he hissed, jabbing a finger towards the smug sniper’s chest.

“Oh no, definitely not. Your voice isn’t crackin’ at all.”

 _Sith karking hells_. Hunter had half a mind to whack his brother in the face with a pillow. “Don’t try to cover for the fact _you_ are intrigued by her as well.”

“As _well_? So is _that_ what you call a crush now? Being _intrigued_?”

“I do _not_ have a crush.” With that, Hunter turned his back to Crosshair and forcefully shoved himself back into the bed.

Right? That was the truth, wasn’t it?

Or… was it?


	2. Puzzles and Vampires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter's a puzzle and Tech's a vampire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter before we start "Over the River and Thorough the Woods"! When will that start?   
> No idea lol. I want to finish two chapters from an original story first.
> 
> ALSO YOOO "OFF TO A GREAT START" IS #7 OUT OF 1.4k STORIES IN CLONE WARS ON WATTPAD!!!
> 
> Trigger Warnings:   
> Talk of needles, blood (tech is persistent), talk of mutilation, references to female anatomy, and mention of sex.

_ Well alrighty then _ . I frowned, eyeing the door which Hunter had rapidly vacated. That was rather… odd. One moment Hunter seemed fine, then he had to scurry away. What got him so worked up?

Was it the rabies comment? Sure, that’d weird anyone out, but he seemed funny when he got to the door. It couldn’t have been the rabies comment.

He seemed… preoccupied? Distracted, even. Or maybe he was just tired? No, something had definitely been going through that man’s head.

But what?

The day, while rough, had been fairly enjoyable. I’d gotten to know the Bad Batch up close and personal. Very up close in Wrecker’s case. They were all so quirky, even more so than the episodes showed.

But while three members were fairly easy to sort out… one was not.

Hunter. What an interesting little puzzle. A bit gruff on the outside, and plenty of dry humor to go along with, but under that…

Now that was tricky.

A hand shook my shoulder. “Shadow?” 

I jerked and looked at the concerned engineer. “Sorry man… just…” I looked back towards the door. “He usually act like that?”

Tech followed my gaze. “I do not believe so.”

I glanced sideways at him. “You live with him, mate.”

“That does not mean I analyze my brothers!” Tech sputtered defensively. 

I merely held his gaze and ever so slowly raised an eyebrow. Saying nothing, I waited for him to break. Fun psychology trick: stay silent after someone gives you a fake answer, and they’ll almost always try to fill the silence with the real answer. 

Sure enough, Tech looked away and mumbled, “At least… I don’t share my findings.”

_ Bingo _ . “Don’t worry, Techie. I analyze people all the time,” I assured him, grinning.

Tech cocked his head to the side. “Might I ask what your analysis of us yielded?” he asked, obviously curious.

“You might. Don’t mean I’ll grace you with an answer.”

“Ah, well, you are not a very graceful individual.” A look of what I could only describe as  _ terror  _ washed over his face. “That is-! I didn’t mean it… that’s not what I-! You have a very graceful body but your attitude-”

I watched Tech stammer for a moment, withholding a sly smile, before I took pity on the poor guy. “Tech. Trust me, I’m not offended. Takes more than that to offend me.

_ Lies. You’re always willing to fight people at the drop of a hat! You are a small bundle of rage. You’re only not mad because it’s Tech. _

_ Oh, you’re back,  _ I grumbled at my subconscious. _ Now leave. _

“I… am glad,” he said uncertainly, still looking rather mortified.

“You can’t be worse than Crosshair,” I assured him.

“You do not like him.”

_ Oh, that’s it. He’s worried I don’t like him. Tech, if only you knew.  _ “I don’t  _ hate _ Crosshair. He’s just abrasive, and I match it.”

“If he were nice to you… you’d be nice to him?”

“I’m nice to you, ain’t I? I’m chill and only get aggressive if someone else picks a fight with me first.”

Tech seemed to ponder that for a second. “So… how  _ do _ you perceive us?”

I thought my answer over for a moment. “I’ll start with you.”

The engineer looked both excited and apprehensive.

“I’ve called you sweet and adorable before, but I didn’t mean that in a demeanin’ way. That aside, you’re super smart and the amount of knowledge in that melon of yours is nothin’ short of impressive. I  _ wish _ I had your brain capacity in Chemistry class. Maybe, I wouldn’t have had to drop it.”

“Drop?”

Right… he’d never been in a college environment.  _ Shadow you idiot. All this boy’s known has been war and death.  _ “In college, we can decide to withdraw from a class we’re takin’ if it’s too hard. Chem wasn’t  _ hard _ … I just suck ass at math.”

“But you love science!” Tech exclaimed.

“And I  _ despise _ math. Sorry mate, it ain’t for me.”

He seemed slightly disappointed. “Ah.”

“There’s three types of people in the galaxy. Those who can do math, and those who can’t.”

Brown eyes squinted at me from behind the goggles. “Wait.”

“Ah ha! You caught that,” I snickered.

A small grin tugged his lips. “Of course I did. What do you think of Wrecker?”

A smile spread across my face. “Loud boy. If you’re the sweet puppy, he’s the puppy who  _ never _ runs out of energy. I’ll admit he’s kinda scary at first glance. But he’s a big sweetheart. I love his humor and playfulness, that’s for sure.”

“Crosshair?”

“Twiggs? That man is a housecat. Grouchy, abrasive, aloof, but…” I paused. “Again, I don’t hate him. And I really respect his skills. It may be my habit of analyzin’ people for the sake of creatin’ characters for stories, but I know there’s a good guy in there.” A lopsided frown dug into the corner of my mouth. “At least, I’m pretty sure. Somewhere. Deep, deep down.”

Tech seemed to like my analysis. “He can be nice at times. I know he does care about us, he’s just… closed off.”

“I mean… y’all aint had the best luck of the draw. I can understand his bitterness and abrasive nature. Easier to mask the pain with a tough front rather than let others pick you apart for what they see as weakness.”

“That certainly describes him.” Tech glanced towards the door. “What about Hunter?”

Ah yes. Sergeant Shaggy McGee. “Hunter? Straight enigma. He’s a mysterious boy.”

“He enjoys keeping people guessing,” Tech agreed. “The tactic has helped on many missions. People don’t hesitate to take him seriously. The skull tattoo helps him be intimidating I believe.”

“No kiddin’,” I snorted, recalling my first meeting with the Sergeant. “But other than being an enigma and a half, I like his dry humor and leadership skills.” I chuckled. “He’s like the team dad.”

Tech laughed at that. “He definitely takes the role of parental figure at times, especially when Crosshair or Wrecker become unruly.”

“Is that why he acted funny at the door? Protective?” I frowned. “Well, I guess I did just tell him I could be rabid, and I bit Wrecker earlier.”

“I could see if you are rabid! A simple test would tell me,” the engineer chirped, smiling.

I stiffened. “That involve needles?”

“It would only sting momentarily. I’d be gentle!” Tech assured me, getting excited. He reminded me of a little mad scientist.

“Er… no thanks, I’ll pass,” I laughed nervously, raising my hands and shaking my head.

“I wouldn’t hurt you! Just a little bit of blood?” Tech shuffled closer, giving me what he probably assumed to be a soothing smile. 

I in turn shuffled backwards. “No.”

“Only a small vial…” Another scoot forward. 

Another scoot backwards. “You ain’t testin’ my blood, you little vampire.”

“But it could yield fascinating results about your species!” Tech protested, a pleading note in his tone.

_ Do I look like a lab rat to you?!  _ “Mate, just  _ ask  _ if you want to know something. Use your words!”

“There’s only so much I can learn from words!” Tech whined. “DNA testing would tell me so much more! Just a little prick and I’d be done! It wouldn’t take more than a minute!”

“Denied.”

“But-”

“No.” 

“Shadow-”

“Negatory.”

“Please?” To my amazement, the man was actually pulling  _ puppy eyes _ .

_ You’ve got to be kidding me. Really? How am I supposed to keep saying no to  _ **_that_ ** _!? _ “There’s no way you can use saliva to test whatever you want to test?”

“No,” Tech replied, still using that illegally adorable face.

I sighed. “Tech, last time I had blood drawn I turned  _ paler than usual _ and had to lay down for ten minutes. They almost had to wheel me out of there in a wheelchair.”

The puppy eyes disappeared immediately. “What kind of doctor did you see?! That is not normal!”

“That’s what I’m tryin’ to get through to you. I have a legit  _ phobia  _ of needles, Tech. The nurse also missed my vein,  _ twice _ . Then she used that damn needle and  _ dug _ in my arm for the vein. So, it’s a big no from me, my guy.”

“Missed your vein? Are your veins hard to see?” Tech asked, reaching for my arm again.

I tucked it against my chest, giving him a “ _ what in the actual hell do you think you’re doing _ ” look.

He held up his hands. “I do not have my equipment on me right now.”

My eyes narrowed, but I held out my arm.

Gripping my wrist and pulling the arm closer, he peered down at it. “Why, your vein is quite visible!” he exclaimed, poking the bend of my elbow. “I could easily reach-”

I jerked my arm back to my chest. “Or you could  _ not _ .”

He pouted. “Then could I not prick your finger?” he asked, gesturing to my hand.

I tucked my hands under my arms. “You know how many nerve endin’s are at your fingertips?!”

“Each finger has approximately three thousand nerve endings,” Tech chirped, pointing a finger into the air to emphasize his point. “There are very few places that have more, one being the cl-”

My eyes went wide.  _ Hell to the nah!  _ “Subject change!” I yelped.

Tech was quick to defend himself. “But it’s just a human anatomy fact!”

_ Yeah… but it’s  _ **_my_ ** _ anatomy we’re talking about!  _ “I’d rather not talk about that, my guy!”

“How can you be squeamish about this when you cuss every other sentence?” Tech huffed.

“I don’t know why I am the way that I am. And I’m not squeamish, trust me.”  _ Some of the things I’ve written…  _ “I’ve hung someone by their own intestines before in one of my stories.”

Tech grimaced. “That’s nasty. And improbable! The human small intestine cannot sustain the weight of a grown male averaging seventy to eighty kilograms.”

“Oh pardon me, let me just find a willing participant to gut and string by his innards to test my theory,” I said with mock apology. “Shall I consult you on the scientific method while I’m at it?”

Tech gave me an unamused look. “Your sense of humor is quite dark.”

“What doesn’t kill you gives you plenty of unhealthy copin’ mechanisms and a really dark sense of humor,” I snorted.

“Yes, I remember you telling me that yesterday.”

“Yesterday?!” I exclaimed.  _ Past midnight already? Shoot! _ “Damn, I should probably hit the sack."

He frowned. "What sack?"

I rubbed my eyes. "Er, no. Like hit the hay.”

Another blank look, paired with a confused head tilt.

“It's an expression. I need to go to sleep."

He gave me a small pout. "But... I like talking with you…. The others aren’t as interested in science as you."

_ Lovely, a guilt trip _ . "I get that buddy, but I will pass out on this couch and I don't know about you but I really don't want to explain to Hunter why we're in the same bed in the morning." 

“What would be wrong with that? If you were tired and fell asleep, you were tired and fell asleep,” he said, obviously confused.

Face dropping into a deadpan glare, I pointed to myself. “Tech. I am female.” 

“Yes.”

I pointed to him. “You are male.”

“Affirmative.”

I pointed down at the foldout couch we sat on. “In the same bed.”

“Correct.” His head tilted to the side in confusion. “Why would that be cause for concern?”

I inhaled deeply, smacking my palm against my forehead.  _ Why me _ … “Ok, I’ll put this in layman’s terms.” Dropping my hand, I met Tech’s confused gaze. “When you find members of the opposite sex sleepin’ in the same bed and they aren’t blood-relatives, the standard assumption is they just fucked.”

_ That _ got through to him. Eyes flying wide, he abruptly shifted backwards, stammering an apology, and right off the edge of the couch. “Ah!”

_ Nerd down. _ Shuffling to the edge, I looked down at him. “You good?”

Propping himself up on his elbows, he swallowed nervously. “I… I didn’t intend to-!”

At his horror-stricken expression, I couldn't help laugh.  _ Now who’s flustered and squeaky? _

But my easily amused state of mind was a sure sign that I was close to getting punch drunk. I definitely did not need to be in that hazy state of mind around Tech. I was dangerously honest and that was not something I wanted to deal with the repercussions of in the morning. Who knew what I'd say?

Remembering Hunter, I quickly covered my mouth to stifle my laughter but started wheezing, sounding too much like a deranged zebra for my liking. 

Tech tilted his head. "You have a rather interesting laugh."

"Shut up," I muttered through my hands, an almost painful smile on my face. "This is your fault, nerd."

"My fault?" he exclaimed, nose scrunched in a small yet playful scowl. 

"Yeah, if it weren't for you keepin’ me up, I wouldn't be punch drunk. My brain turns into a pumpkin after midnight, and I get insanely honest."

"Honest?” He quickly jumped up and braced his hands on the edge of the fold out. “So, if I ask a question, any question, you would answer it?"

"Boy, don't you dare," I warned, still trying to repress my giggles. 

“Can I ask you when we are hiking tomorrow?”

_ Wait… I can use this _ . “Of course,  _ only _ .”

His face dropped. “Oh no, you sound like Hunter…”

Another burst of unflattering snorting erupted, causing me to cover my mouth again. Getting them under control, I wheezed briefly and managed to reply, “I’ll answer your questions  _ only _ if you drop the blood testin’ and do  _ not _ poke me with a needle on the trail.”

He looked quite upset at that. “But… but… your blood would yield such enlightening scientific information.”

“Tech.”

His shoulders slumped. “Alright.” He stuck out his hand. “It’s a deal.”

I shook it. “It’s a deal.”  _ Please let this not bite me in the ass _ . “Now, I am serious. I do need to get to sleep. My insomnia will wake me up at the crack of dawn.”

Tech sighed disappointedly as I shifted off the bed and headed out of the living room. “See you in the morning then, Shadow.”

“See ya, Techie,” I said over my shoulder before heading to my room. First thing I did was lock the door behind me.

Tech had shown an alarming interest in my blood, and I wasn’t about to be woken up by a vampire. I just hoped he wouldn’t stick me on the trail.

How would it all go? What shenanigans would transpire? What all would we encounter?

And, most importantly…

What inevitable tragedy would strike?  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMINOUS END FOR THE WIN
> 
> Also Tech is a persistent little bugger.  
> And he seems the type to talk about things from a strictly fact based standpoint. But he's also a flustered boy. Gotta love him

**Author's Note:**

> Alphians are in fact rabies carriers! :D
> 
> Next chapter is a lot shorter and is from my pov so it shouldn't take long for it to be out!  
> I got very lazy so it may be 700 words max


End file.
